Flexible scraper



June 17, 1924. 1,498,155

W. L. DORR FLEXIBLE SCRAPER Filed July 9. 1923 Fatented June 17, 1924.

UNITED STATES WILLARD L. DORE, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

FLEXIBLE SCRAPER.

Applicationflled July 9, 1923. Serial No. 650,844.

being preferably of rubber and reinforced by a flexible core, as will be more fully described hereinafter. This provides a sanitary construction, especially advantageous and desirable in removing food from pans and dishes with the view to saving and utilizing that which would otherwise become waste. The knife-like shape of the blade is, therefore, very well suited to this end, and by reason of its flexibility and rubber edges,

it will conform to the shape of the particular pan or dish and permit easy removal of practically all ofthe food without mixing or breaking. The reinforcing core, preferably of spring metal shaped in any of various ways as will be described later, gives permanency of shape to theblade, thus making it more substantial and at the same time allowing the desired degree of flexibility for scraping curved and irregular surfaces. I have aimed to make the core more flexible at its outer end, since in practice I have found. that a scraperof this kind is more effective and better adapted for various pans and dishes, especially for cleaning them, since the outer end portion of the lade may be readily conformed to the shape thereof and the inner end portionanear the handle being more stiff and of a lesser degree of flexibility may be pressed with greater pressure against the dish. My invention, therefore, aims to provide asanitary scraper which will promote economy in the kitchen by facilitatin removal of food from pans and dishes, an which alsomay be used for cleaning purposes. Another object is t'o'provide a scraper of the character described constructed in such simple manner that it may be produced at a comparatively low cost.

1 Other objects and attendant advantages W 11i app ia e as the m nuon invention relates in general to.

of the blade, is

comes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in cbnnection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are side and edge views respectively, of a scraper embodying my inyention, showing the blade proper in dotted mes;

' Figs? and 4 are side and edge views respectively, of the scraper showing a modification of the core construction;

Figs. 5 and Gare also side and edge views showing still another modification of the core construction;

Fi s. 7 and 8 are cross-sections taken on the ines 7-7 and 8-8, respectively, of

Fig. 1;

ig. 9 is a cross-section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3;

Fi 10 and 11 are cross-sections taken on the lines 10-10 and-11-11, respectively, of

Fig 5;

ig. 12 is an end view of the scraper looking at the blade end; and 1 ig. 13 is a view illustrating the use of the.

scra er.

y invention contemplates the provision of a scraper characterized, generally stated, by a handle 14, a blade 15 of rubber or any other material or composition having a Sllllllar degree of flexibility and being sufficiently durable for practical purposes, and a flexible reinforcing core 16 embedded in the blade and attached to the handle.

The handle 14 may be of any suitable or preferred construction, ment shown in Fig. 1, it is in one piece. The reinforcing core in this instance is formed of wire pieces 17 and 18 suitably secured in the handle. The wire piece 17, extended throughout substantially the entire length bent upon itself, providing two spaced portions between which the piece 18 is interposed at the handle end for the purpose of making this end stiffer and less flexible. The outer portion 19 of the wire piece 17 is flattened on its sides 19, taperin toward the outer end as shown plain? in Fi 2, and leaving the terminus 21 un attene thereby forming a head. As a result ofv this construction, the core increases in degree of flexibility from a medial point toward the outer end and termnates in an enlarged head which prevents this end .from piercing the rubber .bod

Th w p ce 17 is cri p d a p y and in the embodifor the handle. ficiently beyond the handle to shown, for the purpose of more securely bindin it to the rubber body in which it is embed ed.

The blade or body 15 is cast onto the core and is preferably shaped to provide diagonally opposed edges 22 as plainly shown in the cross-sectional views and in the end views. By reason of this construction, the blade may be placed flat against asurface and moved there along with its edge directly bearing against and following the surface. It also-allows a greater body of metal at the edge and causes less fatigue and wear on the edge proper than if the edge were located centrally. The blade while' preferably of a suitable soft rubber composition, need not necessarily be made of this. If any other material or composition is-employed', it should be flexible/and durable to a degree comparable with a good grade of rubber. y

In the modifications shown in Fi s. 3 and 4, the reinforcing core is formed 0 a single piece of flexible steel, designated generally by 23, havin a shank 24 secured between the two part andle sections 25. This core gradually tapers as .to thickness from the handle to its outer end, leaving a head 26 for the same purpose as described above with reference to the wire core. This core may also be shaped along its side edges, as

at-27, adjacent to the handle to provide insets for receiving the rubber body and thereby establishing 'a better union with the core.

In the modifications shown in 'Figs; 5 and 6, the core is built up of two strips 28 and 29 of flat spring steel or the equivalent, riveted together as shown, and secured between the parts 31 which make up a casing The strip 28 reaches .suf-

give the de:

- sired stiffness to the handle end of the blade, while the part 29 is tapered as to width toward its outer end and is turned over at such end, providing ahead 32 similar to the heads 21 and 26 described above.

In each 'form'of the invention shown the reinforcing core is wholly embedded in the ]blade body and is of a greater degree of flexibility at itsouter end than at its handle end. The difference in degree is preferably gradual as results from gradually diminishing the cross-sectional dimension of the core. That the core may be formed in outer end of the blade is more flexible than its inner end to likewise conform more readily lengthwise of the blade to the object being cleaned. In each instance, the reinforcing core is considerably 'stifl'er in proximity to the handle so that greater pressure may be applied at this end if desired. In

each case the rubber body fills in-sets in the reinforcing core and the tip of the core 'is enlarged to prevent it from breaking through the blade body.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clear understanding of the objects prefaced above, and it should be understood that in making scrapers embodying the principles disclosed herein, various changes might be made in materials employed and in the size and shape of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A scraper of the character described comprising a handle, a rubber blade, and a flexible reinforcing core embedded in the blade and increasing in degree of flexibility from a point near the handle toits outer end. Y

2. A sraper of the character described.

comprising a handle, a blade composed of pliable material, and a flexible metallic core embedded in the blade, the cross-sectional area of said core being gradually decreased 1 from an inner point on the core substan tially to the outer end thereof.

. 3. A scraper of the character described comprising a handle, a blade composed of pliable material, and a flexible metallic core embedded in the blade, said core being of comparatively flatmater-ial and terminatingat its outer end in an enlargement embedded in the blade.

WILLARD L.- DORR. 

